1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a compound and extract isolated from Antrodia camphorata, particularly relates to a method of inhibiting cancer cell growth by using the compound.
2. The Prior Arts
Antrodia camphorata is also called Chang-Zhi, Niu Chang-Zhi, red camphor mushroom and the like, which is a perennial mushroom belonging to the order Aphyllophorales, the family Polyporaceae. It is an endemic species in Taiwan growing on the inner rotten heart wood wall of Cinnamomum kanehirae Hay. Cinnamoum kanehirai Hay is rarely distributed and being overcut unlawfully, which makes Antrodia camphorata growing inside the tree in the wild became even rare. The price of Antrodia camphorata is very expensive due to the extremely slow growth rate of natural Antrodia camphorata that only grows between Junes to October.
The fruiting bodies of Antrodia camphorata are perennial, sessile, hard and woody, which exhales strong smell of sassafras (camphor aroma). The appearances are various with plate-like, bell-like, hoof-like, or tower-like shapes. They are reddish in color and flat when young, attached to the surface of wood. Then the brims of the front end become little curled tilted and extend to the surroundings. The color turns to be faded red-brown or cream yellow brown, with ostioles all over. This region is of very high medical value.
In traditional Taiwanese medicine, Antrodia camphorata is commonly used as an antidotal, liver protective, anti-cancer drug. Antrodia camphorata, like general edible and medicinal mushrooms, is rich in numerous nutrients including polysaccharides (such as β-glucosan), triterpenoids, superoxide dismutase (SOD), adenosine, proteins (immunoglobulins), vitamins (such as vitamin B, nicotinic acid), trace elements (such as calcium, phosphorus and germanium and so on), nucleic acid, agglutinin, amino acids, steroids, lignins and stabilizers for blood pressure (such as antodia acid) and the like. These physiologically active ingredients are believed to exhibit effects such as: anti-tumor activities, increasing immuno-modulating activities, anti-allergy, anti-bacteria, anti-high blood pressure, decreasing blood sugar, decreasing cholesterol and the like.
Triterpenoids are the most studied component among the numerous compositions of Antrodia camphorata. Triterpenoids are the summary terms for natural compounds, which contain 30 carbon atoms with the pent acyclic or hex acyclic structures. The bitter taste of Antrodia camphorata is from the component of triterpenoids. Three novel ergostane-type triterpenoids (antcin A, antcin B, antcin C) were isolated by Cherng et al. from the fruiting bodies of Antrodia camphorata (Cherng, I. H., and Chiang, H. C. 1995. Three new triterpenoids from Antrodia cinnamomea. J. Nat. Prod. 58:365-371). Three new compounds zhankuic acid A, zhankuic acid B and zhankuic acid were extracted from the fruiting bodies of Antrodia camphorata with ethanol by Chen et al. (Chen, C. H., and Yang, S. W. 1995. New steroid acids from Antrodia cinnamomea,—a fungus parasitic on Cinnamomum micranthum. J. Nat. Prod. 58:1655-1661). In addition, Cherng et al. also found three other new triterpenoids from the fruiting bodies of Antrodia camphorata, which are sesquiterpene lactone and 2 biphenyl derived compounds, 4,7-dimethoxy-5-methyl-1,3-benzodioxole and 2,2′,5,5′-teramethoxy-3,4,3′,4′-bi-methylenedioxy-6,6′-dimethylbiphenyl (Chiang, H. C., Wu, D. P., Cherng, I. W., and Ueng, C. H. 1995. A sesquiterpene lactone, phenyl and biphenyl compounds from Antrodia cinnamomea. Phytochemistry. 39:613-616). In 1996, four novel ergostane-type triterpenoids (antcins E and F and methyl antcinates G and H) were isolated by Cherng et al. with the same analytic methods (Cherng, I. H., Wu, D. P., and Chiang, H. C. 1996. Triteroenoids from Antrodia cinnamomea. Phytochemistry. 41:263-267). And two ergostane related steroids, zhankuic acids D and E together with three lanosta related triterpenes, 15 alpha-acetyl-dehydrosulphurenic acid, dehydroeburicoic acid, dehydrosulphurenic acid were isolated by Yang et al. (Yang, S. W., Shen, Y. C., and Chen, C. H.1996. Steroids and triterpenoids of Antrodia cinnamomea—a fungus parasitic on Cinnamomum micranthum. Phytochemistry. 41:1389-1392). Several compounds were continually found to play important roles for AMPK and TOR signal transduction pathway. Through activating AMPK and inhibiting mTOR translation pathway to reach a well control of G1 phase in tumor cells, and completely block development of tumor cells and cause a series of apoptosis.